Acetylene-gas generator.



A. A. HOFFMAN.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

APPUCATION FILED FEB. e. 1917.

Patented Oct, 22, 1918,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witnesses Atto m eys A. A. HOFFMAN.

'ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED EEB. s. :91].

1,282Am Patented Oct. 22, 1918 2 SHEETSSHEET 2- a 29 Ag 2 i i I i I l 1 w: 1 I l /2 Witnesses WWW by Attorneys 45 bid controlling valve is actuated;

TlNTT tee ALBERT A. HOFFMAN, or :anno, OHIO.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

Application filed February 6, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT A. HOFFMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Reno, in the county of Washington and State of Ohi0, have invented a new and useful Acetylene-Gas Generator, of which the following is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is an acetylene gas generator, and the invention aims to provide a device of this type in which the bell and carbid receptacle, being connected to move as one piece, dip into a water seal which is independent of the water with which the carbid is mingled.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for controlling the valvewhich regulates the flow of carbid into the water. 0 p

The invention aims to improve the construction of the main tank andthe combined carbid receptaclevand bell.

'It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the resent inventionappertains. 7

With the above and other objects in view which will, appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of partsand in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention-herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings I Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section showing a gas machine constructed in accordance with the present invention, parts appearing in section;

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; I

Fig. 3 is a fragmental elevation showing a portion of the mechanism whereby the car- Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the mechanism whereby the carbid valve is controlled;

Fig. 5 is a fragmental longitudinal section taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig.6 is a longitudinal section showing the filter.

In carrying out the present invention there is provided a main tank which is de- Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedOct. 22, 1918. Serial No. 146,948.

noted generally by the numeral 1. The main tank 1 may be constructed as desired, but preferably it embodies a tube 2 which may be a tile, set in a concrete base 8. The upper end of the tile or tube 2 has an offset flange l defining a shoulder 5 on which rests a frusto-conical cap 6 constituting a part of the main tank 1. The cap 6 has an upstanding neck 7 which may be denominated an inner tubular member, since it is located within an outer tubular member 8 having an outstanding flange 9 defining a shoulder 10 resting water-tight on a rib 11 formed on the frusto-conical cap 6. The outer tubular member 8 on the main tank 1 may be surmounted by a removable lid 12- having handles let, and held in place against accidental or willful detachment, by means of a locking mechanism 15 of any desired kind. The tube 2 holds a quantity of water, indicated at 16, intowhich the calcium carbid falls, to

generatethe gas. Acompartment 17 is defined by the outer tubular member 8, the neck 7 and the portion of the frusto-conical cap 6, this compartment 17 being independent of the compartment in which the generating water 16 is located. The compartment 17 receivesan independent water seal denoted by the numeral 18.

At 19 there is shown a carbid receptacle which is small enough in diameter so that it can move vertically with the neck 17 The carbid receptacle'19 has a. top 20 provided with .any suitable means 21 whereby carbid can beintroduced into the receptacle. The top 20 -projects as shown at 22, beyond the wall of the receptacle 19 and is connected with a depending bell 23, located in the compartment 17 between the neck 7 and the outer tubular member 8, and dipping into the -water seal. 18 in "the compartment 17. Thecarbid receptacle 19 includes a fiat base 24 having a central opening 25. The carbid receptacle 19 includes, further, a funnelshaped bottom 26 connected at its upper edge with the wall ofthereceptacle 19 and connected at its lower end with the base 24:,

about the opening 25. Secured to and depending from the base 24: is a sleeve 27 which is open at its lower end, the sleeve 27 being of considerably larger diameter than the with an arm carrying a weight 31 At W one end, the shaft 29 is provided with an arm 32, connected by means of a link 33 with an arm 34 secured to a shaft 35 journaled in bearings 36 on thebase 24. The shaft 35 is supplied with a downwardly curved finger 37 carrying a conical valve 38 adapted to cotiperate with the opening against the lower smaller end of the conical bottom 26 of the carbid receptacle 19. A shield 57 is connected with the bottom 26 near to the lower end thereof and lies above the valve 38. The shield 57 prevents too great a weight from being superposed on the valve 38 by the carbid. The valve 38 is provided with an upstanding hook 39 which, moving in the opening 25, facilitates the flow of carbid. Attached to one end of the shaft 29 is a disk 40 having an arcuate slot 41 provided at one end with a seat 42. The disk 40 is spanned by the bifurcations 43 of an actuating rod 44 slidable in a guide or eye 60 and loosely mounted therein for swinging movement, the eye 60 being carried by the carbid receptacle 19. The bifurcations 43 of the actuating rod 44 carry a pin 58 on which is mounted a roller 59 ordinarily lodged in the seat 42, but adapted, at times, as will be pointed out hereinafter, to traverse the slot 41 in the disk 40. The upper end of the actuating rod 24 is provided with a rectangularly disposed finger 45 adapted, when the bell 23 and the carbid receptacle 19 move downwardly, to engage the upper edge of the neck 7, the actuating rod 44lying between the neck 7 and the wal of the carbid receptacle 19.

The numeral 46 denotes a service pipe which may be connected at its lower end with the frusto-conical cap 6. The opposite end of the service pipe 46 is assembled with a filter casing 47. Connected with the top of the filter casing 47 is a part 48 of the service pipe. The filter casing 47 preferably is located closely adjacent to the building into which the gas is to bedelivered. The lower end of the part 48 of the service pipe, which enters the filter casing 47, is closed by means of a cap 49. That portion of the part 48 of the servicepipe which lies within thefilter casing 47 is supplied With small perforations 50. A filter bag. 51 surrounds the end of the part 48 of the service pipe, and is secured thereto. The filter bag 50 maybe made out of any suitablematerial Which will permit the passage of gas and act properly as a filter.

The numeral 52. denotes a combined vent and blow-ofi pipe, the lower end of which is connected with the part 46 of the service pipe, near to the cap 6 of the main tank 1. The pipe 52 is partially surrounded by a protecting casing 53' of any desired length, the lower end of the casing 53 being embedded in the ground if desired. In Fig. 1 of the drawings,the surface of the ground is denoted by the numeral 54. Interposed in the pipe 52 is a valve 55. The upper end of the pipe 52 terminates in a bend 56 which prevents water from finding its way accidentally into the pipe 52, during a rain storm. The bend 56 is located at a sufiicient elevation so that gas passing therethrough will be delivered well above the head of an operator when standing erect.

In practical operation, when the gas with in the tube 2 and the bell 23 is depleted, the bell moves downwardly. When the bell moves downwardly, the finger 45 on the rod 44 engages the upper edge of the neck 7. The disk 40 then is rotated, because the pin 58 on the lower end of the rod 44 is engaged in the seat 42. When the disk40 is rotated, the shaft 29 is rotated, and the weight 31 is elevated. A rotation of the shaft 29 causes a rotation of the shaft 35, because these shafts are connected through the instrumentality of the arms 32 and 34 on the'link33. When the shaft 35 is rotated as above def scribed, the valve 38 is lowered by the finger 37 and carbid flows downwardly into the water 16 in the tube 2, whereupon gas is generated. The bell 23 then rises and when the finger 45 of the rod 44 no longer is in engagement with the upper end of the neck 7, the'weight 31, which has been elevated, reacts on the shaft 29 and closes the valve'38.

As has been intimated hereinbefore, the hook 39 aids in feeding the carbid, and the guard or shield 57 prevents the carbid from exerting too great a weight on the valve. The function of the sleeve 27 is to prevent moist air from flowing across the valve 38 and reducing the carbid on and above the I valve to a mushy paste tending to interfere with the operation of the valve and the flow of carbid.

The valve 55 in the pipe 52 may be opened when it is desired to permit the gas to flow out of the receptacle 16. It may be de. sirable, also, at times, to open the valve 55, for the purpose of permitting air to enter beneath the bell 23, when the bell is raised by hand, the diminution of pressure within the bell 23 at times rendering it difficult to raise the bell by hand, unless the valve 55 is open. V

Water of condensation in the pipe 46 or in the pipe 52 will fiow-backwardly into the p receptacle 16.

It may occur that, due to an improper feeding of carbid or otherwise, the bell 23 will move downwardly-to an undesirable ex tent, the pressure of gas being ,so small that the lights suppliedfrom the pipe 48 will go out. It is desirable, under such circumstances, that no more carbid be fed to the water 16, and that no more gas be generated. When the bell 23 moves down wardly to an undesirable extent, the pin 58 on the lower end of the rod 44 rotates the disk 40 until the pin rides out of the seat 42 into the groove 4L1. Then the Weight 31 reacts on the shaft 29 and closes the valve 38, the pin 58moving in the slot 41. The opening 25 thus is closed, and no more carbid can be fed to the machine until an operator takes OK the lid 2, raises the bell 23 by hand and effects an adjustment of the machine.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is a In an acetylene gas generator, a main tank; a combined carbid receptacle and bell mounted to move with respect to the main tank; a valve controlling the flow of carbid from the receptacle into the tank; a shaft operatively connected with the valve; :1 disk carried by the shaft and provided With an arcuate slot having a seat; and an actuating member having a projection engaged in the seat and adapted to traverse the slot after the bell and the receptacle have descended to a predetermined point; means for actuating the shaft to close the valve after the bell and the receptacle have descended to said predetermined point; and a fixed projection lying in the path of the actuating member as the latter descends.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I 'have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ALBERT A. HOFFMAN. WVitnesses EDGAR J. HOFFMAN, EMMA HOPP.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

